My mother and I are co-founding a nonprofit named Obesity Awareness IN Action (www.OAAmovement.org). Getting all the pieces organized for this nonprofit has been incredibly challenging (and expensive!) However we believe deep down in our cores that we will impact the world helping people make better health/wellness choices through education and mental/physical/emotional/spiritual support. I know I was put on this Earth to save LIVES. Our nonprofit will be an excellent doorway to helping anyone who chooses to expand their knowledge base. During all of the commotion of starting this nonprofit, we decided to host a wellness conference Oct 8, 2022 @ the Hyatt Regency Downtown Denver AND my mother has won the honor of being Inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame! So. Many. CHANGES.

My mother’s induction into the Hall of Fame is Oct 19th, 2021. My entire immediate family flew down to Iowa yesterday (Oct 17th) extremely early in the morning. Because we have so many coals in our fires, the OAA nonprofit board decided to meet for our first board meeting last night at 4pm. My good friend made a Charcuterie board for our meeting and to celebrate my mother making HISTORY by being inducted into this Hall of Fame. This board was *ABSOLUTELY* beautiful and well diverse with food choices.

One of my favorite additions to any get togethers are Charcuterie Boards. They are diverse enough so that almost everyone – no matter their dietary choice – can happily indulge. They are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, sophisticated and depending on the individuals’ choice of food selection- healthy! As you can see, everyone truly enjoyed the board!

I personally stayed to the foods that worked best for my dietary lifestyle but trust and BELIEVE I had my share of this board! Charcuterie Boards had never been on my radar to create until the last 5 years when my good friend became extremely fantastic at creating them however now, I never have an event without one. They are impressively classy. 💕

There are many free videos and tutorials on line on how to create fabulous boards! Get to creating if you choose💕

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I remember the night I wore this outfit- I was nervous to be seen without mask in public but was able to hide my anxieties with this smile. After the picture was taken, I was floored by how well my smile hid my true feelings! Anxiety, nervousness, paranoia and stress all rolled into one. As this night progressed, I ended up having so much fun and this picture became a representation of a great night out.

It is time to check in on mental health. I have believe I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder issues associated with this Covid 19 pandemic. I spent countless months nervous about my parents or children catching Covid and possibly having irrevocable damage from the illness. I watched a dear friend of mine who truly did NOT believe in the severity of Covid end up catching Covid. This friend is now dealing with covid related heart damage and severe long covid symptoms. I spent almost a full year worried about my family’s job security and felt continously nervous about my ability to provide financially for my family. The world became more divided and racism began to outwardly rear its’ ugly head. As I was waking down the street of my own neighborhood with my small daughters, 2-3 men In a large truck with confederate flags threw A semi full beer can at me yelling “get out of my neighborhood N*gger!” I haven’t taken a walk in my neighborhood since 😢.

All of these feelings haven’t had an appropriate outlet. All the things I did prior to the pandemic were altered, stripped away or no longer offered. I decided to take action. I called my health Insurance company to get a list of in-network therapist near me and then made an appointment to see my new therapist in 2 weeks.

I have zero shame in telling others I need help getting on a different mental path. I need to be the best version of myself at all times and a great role model for my children. I hope if anyone needs professional help, they are not afraid to seek it! We all need to use any and all tools available to us to move ourselves forward💕 If you or anyone you know is struggling with their mental or emotional help, please reach out to your doctor. Always fight to live your best life.

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